Two countries
Apostille from South Africa to United States
At a glance
Can a document from South Africa be used in the United States?
| Result | Apostille applies. |
|---|---|
| South Africa | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| United States | Uses apostilles member since 1 |
| Apostille issued by | Registrars of the High Court of South Africa (divisions in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Bloemfontein)2 Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Legalisation Section, Pretoria2 |
| Fee in South Africa | Not published by the office (all documents)2 |
| Processing time in South Africa | Not published by the office2 |
| Last checked |
Step by step
How to get a document from South Africa ready for the United States
- Have the documents verified by a public notary (an attorney registered at the High Court) or a sworn translator of your choice.2
- Take them to the Registrar of the High Court in the same jurisdiction as the notary or translator, naming the country where the document will be used.2
- If the destination country is a party to the Apostille Convention, the High Court issues and affixes the apostille and the document should not be sent to DIRCO.2
- For original Home Affairs certificates and police clearance certificates, send the originals, in person or by courier, to the Legalisation Section at DIRCO in Pretoria.2
- Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in the United States that asked for it.
Situations
When the answer changes
- Private documents.A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
- The other direction. For a document from the United States used in South Africa, the apostille or legalisation starts in the United States. Check United States to South Africa
Note: What the apostille confirms
An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.
Questions
Questions about documents from South Africa for the United States
Is an apostille from South Africa accepted in the United States?
Yes. An apostille from South Africa is enough for the United States: both are members of the Apostille Convention (South Africa since 30 April 1995, the United States since 15 October 1981). The apostille is issued in South Africa by Registrars of the High Court of South Africa and 1 other office. The office in the United States that receives the document decides what else it needs. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.
Who issues the apostille for a document from South Africa?
Registrars of the High Court of South Africa (divisions in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Bloemfontein) and Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Legalisation Section, Pretoria. The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in the United States.
Do I need to notarise a private document first?
Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public in South Africa. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.
Does the United States also need a translation?
The office in the United States that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.
Sources and verification
Sources
- HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)
- Information sheet: Public Notary / Sworn Translator / Registrar of the High Court of South Africa (version 01/2025)
- United States of America - Competent Authority (Art. 6)
- Requesting Authentication Services
- Request for Authentications Service (DS-4194)
- Status
- Last verified: (18 October 2026)
- How it was checked
- Checked by our team against the sources above
- Next review
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